The Good News!

How to Know Christ
Have you ever enjoyed a glorious sunset or stood at the ocean’s edge and watched the sunrise or looked at a thunderous waterfall and thought, Only God could create something so beautiful. Most people have these thoughts, and some people come away believing that yes, there is a God. But how do we come to really know Him?

The Source for Answers
Time-tested, loved, and read by millions around the world, the Bible presents key truths which explain how we can know God. The first truth is very personal. Romans 3:10-12 describes each one of us, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.” Some people have a hard time believing that, so let’s examine it further.

A Soul Exam
Almost every person thinks he is basically good. Well, one way to find out is to ask yourself if you have obeyed the most basic common law known to man, the Ten Commandments. You can read all ten by looking up Exodus 20:1-17 in the Bible. Most people would say that they have broken one or two of the Ten Commandments, but nothing very serious.

But let’s take a closer look. How would you measure up against the first commandment? Exodus 20:3 says “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Ask yourself, “Have I always put God first in my life?” Jesus said to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength (Matthew 22:37). Another commandment says, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Jesus explained, “Do not murder…but I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment” (Matthew 5:21-22). God doesn’t grade on a curve. The Ten Commandments reveal how far we fall short of God’s standard for right living.

The Good News
Even though we missed the mark of God’s standard, His mercy comes shining through. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). He knows you’re a sinner; but He wants you to know He’s a Savior. Second Peter 3:9 says “…He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” His abundant love has provided a Savior, and His name is Jesus.

Jesus is the One who lived perfectly and honored God’s law. This means He was able to bear sin’s death penalty, all so that we could be rescued from our predicament! “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God…” (I Peter 3:18). Friend, meet Jesus, your Substitute on the cross.

Who is this Jesus?
Jesus is the only one who can forgive and transform us: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

He is our remedy for sin! Oh, friend, don’t you long to be free of the fear of death? Would you like to be assured of a home in heaven? Do you wish your life had meaning and purpose? Jesus is your “bridge over troubled waters” in this world. God the Father wants to give you His Son as not only your Substitute for sin’s death penalty, but He wants Jesus to be your best Friend, Peace of mind and heart, and Purpose for living. The best part is, He wants to work through your life so that others might know Him too.

How Will You Respond to This?
The salvation message is clear: Turn away from your sin and embrace Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. How do you do that? God knows what’s in your heart–He’s more concerned about that, than you reciting a formula-prayer. But if you need help, borrow the following words as a prayer…

Lord Jesus, thank you for paying the debt for my sin by dying on the cross. I confess my sins, which are many. Thank you for forgiving me and I want to show you my gratitude by turning away from my old sinful habits. Help me to turn away from my sin and towards you. I embrace you as the Lord of my life and I desire to follow you the rest of my days. Thank you for giving me power and strength to live a life that honors and pleases you! I pray this in the only Name that saves, Jesus Christ. Amen.

If you have opened up your heart to God and embraced His Son today, we encourage you to tell another Christian about your new life in Christ. Find a Bible and start reading it. It’s the Word of God and He gave it to us that we might learn more about following him. Finally, locate a Christ-honoring church in your community where you can join a Bible study which focuses on the life of Christ. Second Peter 3:18 is now your goal: “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Welcome to God’s family! Please let us hear from you–we would love to pray for you as you take your first steps as a follower of Jesus Christ.

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Author: jimjudywycliffejourney

Jim and Judy have been with Wycliffe since 1984. They have served in aviation maintenance/management, motorcycle training, recruitment, and facilities maintenance in the US and Africa. They have recently been assigned to a new role in the America's Area, North Region, Scripture Access services team. They will be crisscrossing the USA in a very strategic method making face to face encounters with churches, ministries, Native American communities, Diaspora communities, refugee aid organizations, and individuals, introducing them to www.scriptureearth.org. Through this website, non-English speakers can access scriptures and other resources in their mother tongue language. Would you consider becoming a part of their Wycliffe ministry partnership team? You can join their prayer or financial team by clicking on https://www.wycliffe.org/partner/JimandJudyMcCabe
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